Kristaps Porzingis Will Donate $500 Per Blocked Shot to a New York Youth Basketball Charity

The donations will go to RENS, a New York-area non-profit youth basketball program.

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Kristaps Porzingis has emerged as the Knicks' best defensive player (tied for first on the team with 1.2 blocks and 0.8 steals per game, first in defensive rebounds at 4.9 per game), and is now giving back to New York community for it. 

According to NBC Sports, the second-year forward/center is planning to donate $500 for every shot that he blocks this season to RENS, a New York-area non-profit youth basketball program. Porzingis' charity campaign is aptly titled "KrisSTOPS," from which the funds will be allocated toward the Ben Jobe Educational and Scholarship Fund. RENS participants will be provided free tutoring, SAT prep and tuition money for third to eighth grade students.

Ben Jobe is an 83-year-old former head coach who has over 530 wins as a coach at seven black colleges and universities. He now serves as a Knicks team scout. The National Association of Basketball Coaches have a National Coach of the Year award named in Jobe's honor for African-American head coaches of Division 1 basketball programs.

The initiative for Porzingis sending back shots to his offensives foes and then sending money to students was announced on Saturday at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York. The campaign will officially begin Sunday when the Knicks play against the Hawks at home in Madison Square Garden.

Here's to rooting for Porzingawd to swatting down as many shots as possible on the defensive end, and educating more New York youth in the process.

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